


A Split In The Path

by Stargazer19



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, F/F, Family Bonding, Family Feels, Family Issues, Hurt/Comfort, Major Character Injury, Major Character Undeath, Protective Greg Universe, Protective Peridot, Protective Pink Steven, Protective Steven Universe, Protective Twoie Universe, SU Time Travel Au, Slight Gem Bashing, Spin-off from Templeschool, Steven and Pink Steven Coexist, Temporary Character Death, Twoie Dies In The Past AU, Twoie Is Steven's Older Brother, What Have I Done, What-If
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-12
Updated: 2021-03-05
Packaged: 2021-03-10 05:27:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 5
Words: 12,595
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27529201
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Stargazer19/pseuds/Stargazer19
Summary: When Twoie accidentally came to the past by messing with Amethyst's janky hourglass, he was happy. He was happier than he was in his timeline. He was needed. He was helpful. But it never crossed his mind that the gems were suspicious of him due to the circumstances of his arrival. Twoie had learned a long time ago that things could always get worse. So why did it always surprise him?Spin-off of Chapter 11 and 12 of Templeschool. Written so it can be read as a stand-alone story. Periodic updates, probably monthly. Based on a the request by Clinohumite, "What-if the gems thought Twoie wasn't who he said he was and accidentally killed him?"
Relationships: Greg Universe & Pink Steven Universe, Greg Universe & Steven Universe, Peridot & Pink Steven Universe, Peridot & Steven Universe, Pink Steven Universe & Steven Universe, Ruby/Sapphire (Steven Universe)
Comments: 92
Kudos: 96





	1. Till Death Do Us Part

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Templeschool](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22231726) by [Stargazer19](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Stargazer19/pseuds/Stargazer19). 



> Hello, everyone! I know this was long-awaited and hugely requested from Templeschool: Office Hours. This story is going to be a side project of mine as I continue to work on Office Hours. I have made a lot of edits to this previous one-shot so that it could work as its own story. I hope you all enjoy it! Also, thanks to RoxasTsuna_TMNT for helping me come up with the title! 
> 
> For anyone who wants a little extra context, Steven from Future ends up in the past after using the janky hourglass. He is given the name Twoie, and while Amethyst and Steven trust him, Pearl and Garnet are suspicious. Twoie doesn't behave like they'd expect Steven to be. He's closed off, secretive, and extremely powerful. They watch him for a while and become frustrated when he refuses to tell them where Peridot is, so they can poof her. Letting Steven get kidnapped is the final straw, and the gems have lost all trust in Twoie. Seeing him helping Peridot, and allowing Steven to help her, makes them believe he is just tricking them all so he can free Peridot and defeat the Crystal gems. The story then continues from here.

If you asked Steven Universe what he thought his life would be like as a thirteen-year-old, he’d tell you that it was unique but fun. He lived in a beach house with his mom’s family, who also had really cool powers. He had a couple of friends in Beach City, but that was okay because everyone was friendly! He could do whatever he wanted, such as playing video games, hanging out around town, or visiting his dad at the car wash. His favorite thing, though, was spending time with the gems when they weren’t busy. Most of the time, they were always busy. That’s okay, though, because he knew they were busy protecting the earth! Life was great, and Steven loved everything about it.

If you asked Steven Universe what he thought of life as a sixteen-year-old, he’d tell you that life was just never-ending problems. He had almost died on so many occasions. He’d watched his friends and family get hurt, and Steven was even the cause of it in some cases. He’d had to deal with every mistake his mom had left for him and questioned who he was on multiple occasions. Steven had spent so much of his life trying to help people that he wasn’t sure what to do now that the Diamond Authority had changed their ways. Don’t take it the wrong way; Steven was so thankful that the second gem war was over, and most of the corrupted gems were healed. He had more friends and family than ever. Not to mention, life was peaceful again. But his friends and family were moving on. They were going out and doing more and more things. Discovering aspects of themselves that they had never considered or explored. It was terrific to see Pearl, Garnet, Amethyst, and all of the others so happy. But it hurt. It hurt so much.

Because Steven wasn’t like them. He tried to be a teacher at Little Homeschool, and it was a disaster. Not teaching, he loved it! It was the advancing that tore him apart. His students would eventually graduate and move on, leaving him behind. He was so proud of them, and that made it hurt even more. He couldn’t hold them back, but it was agonizing how much he wanted to. So, Steven had quit. The temptation would disappear if he took himself out of the equation, right? But it hadn’t. Sitting at home, trying desperately to find something to do, just wasn’t enough anymore.

Messing around with Amethyst’s old hourglass had been a miracle. Now stuck in the past, Steven Universe had become Twoie Universe, past Steven’s new older brother. And it was perfect. He was helpful again. He was spending time with family that wasn’t going to just leave him behind. They needed him to watch over Steven, to protect him from the gems that wanted to take over the earth. That wanted to defeat the Crystal Gems. And wasn’t that just dandy? How amazing was it that being in a war made him so much happier than being in peace? Twoie had many sleepless nights reflecting on the revulsion that followed such thoughts. So, he had made a vow. He would protect Steven at all costs. He would make his life better than his own had been. That way, Steven would never get the chance to feel like Twoie. He would be spared such a horrible fate. And if that meant keeping secrets, manipulating this timeline so that events would happen in the best way possible, then Twoie was more than willing to make those decisions.

That’s why he always had the inkling that things could get worse. Life had beaten that thought process into him. But even life hadn’t prepared him for what happened next. Twoie wasn’t prepared for the gems to turn on him. To believe he would purposefully allow harm to come to Steven. Hadn’t he proven time and time again that he was looking out for Steven’s best interests? Peridot needed to kidnap Steven, or else the earth would’ve been destroyed. Steven was the only one who could befriend her. But the gems hadn’t felt that way. And when Twoie allowed Steven to unbubble Peridot, a crucial step needed to get Peri to trust Steven, he never imagined the gems would attack him. Maybe life hadn’t beaten it into him enough. Twoie should’ve remembered that things could always get worse. 

The one thing Twoie took comfort in was that he had managed to protect Peridot. The gems had surrounded him, Steven, and Peridot in front of the temple. He held them off long enough for Peridot to dart inside the pink room, but Amethyst had taken advantage of his distraction in blocking Garnet’s punch to pull Steven to her with her whip. Now, it was just him against the gems. Twoie gritted his teeth as his family advanced on him. Why didn’t they trust him? Why would they attack him? The young man’s gaze flicked to Steven, who was panicking while trying to free himself from Amethyst’s hold. “Why are you guys doing this? You’re going to hurt him!” The kid’s pleas were ignored, and that hurt more than Twoie thought it would. The time traveler thought Amethyst at least trusted him, but Steven was the only one speaking in his defense.

Pearl aggressively closed in on the young man. She knew there was something weird about him. He was too secretive and closed off. Steven never acted like that with them. With _her._ Twoie must be a gem that was sent from Homeworld to trick them into trusting her. Then, she would backstab them when the time was right. There was no other explanation for why Twoie would help Peridot. Well, if this spy thought she could fool Pearl, Rose’s right-hand gem, then she had another thing coming. Pearl would never back down. She would never betray Rose’s dream. She would protect her family, her friends, and her home with her entire being. “You are protecting Peridot! You have betrayed the Crystal Gems. You have betrayed the _earth_.”

Twoie dissipated his shield and held his hands out in surrender. Although his powers were mostly defensive, they could still be used to attack. He needed the gems to know that he wasn’t going to attack them. The last thing he wanted was to escalate the situation. “Look, I know this looks bad, but I couldn’t say anything earlier. Steven needed to talk to Peridot. She never would’ve trusted you guys enough to tell you about the Cluster unless she befriended him.” Twoie winced when Garnet stepped forward.

The permafusion was clenching her fists in anger. She knew there was something off about Twoie. Ever since he showed up, her future vision had stopped working. He claimed to be Steven from the future, but he acted nothing like the Steven she knew and loved. He knew so much about the future but refused to share anything. Instead, any information had to be pressured out of Twoie. Little tidbits of the future that was just enough to deal with the situation at hand. If Twoie really was a future Steven, he would know the importance of informing her of future events. He would be acting like a Crystal Gem. Garnet would not let this imposter trick her. “And what is the Cluster? No more withholding information about Homeworld. You will tell us now.” Twoie’s gaze flickered from Garnet to Pearl to Amethyst. Each gem was staring him down, and he knew there was no getting out of it.

He rubbed his arm in discomfort. “The Cluster… is a geo-weapon created by Yellow Diamond to destroy the earth.”

Quiet reigned through the house for a moment, then the gems bristled. If he thought that they were mad before, they were _incensed_ now. “YOU KEPT SOMETHING THAT DANGEROUS A SECRET FROM US?” Twoie flinched as Garnet swung her arm out to the side. That was all the proof she needed. Steven never would’ve put his family in such danger. “That’s it! You are telling us everything! Now!” Before Garnet could advance on him, Steven managed to sneak far enough away from Amethyst so he could run in front of Twoie.

“You’re overreacting! If Twoie thought it was a good idea not to say anything, then he’s probably right! He’s one of us, remember? Right now, you guys are the ones betraying him!” Steven gestured to Twoie with one arm and held the other clenched over his chest. Pearl’s eyes widened in shock. There, on the back of his outstretched arm, was a dark splotch.

“Steven! What happened? How did you get that bruise?” Steven blinked in surprise and looked down at his arm. Pearl rushed over to him, inspecting the bruise. He winced when she pressed lightly on it.

“Ow…” Steven stared at it. What did he do earlier that would’ve caused that? Suddenly, the kid’s mind flashed back to earlier in the day. Twoie had been angrily pacing their mom’s room, and Steven had accidentally snuck up behind him. He’d been knocked down by Twoie’s yell power thing, but it was an honest mistake. Steven knew if his older brother had known he was there, it never would’ve happened. And Twoie already apologized for it. “I didn’t even notice. That must’ve happened by accident when Twoie was mad.”

Pearl’s pupils shrank in horror, Garnet tensed, and Amethyst covered her mouth with her hand. “Twoie hurt you?” Garnet whispered, but her words resounded through the room.

Steven flinched as he realized how his words sounded and immediately tried to backpedal. “N-no! Wait!” It was too late. Pearl picked him up and jumped towards the living room. Just as she hopped out of the way, Amethyst’s whip cut through the air and wrapped around Twoie. The young man yelped in surprise as the thorns in the whip dug harshly into his skin.

“I actually believed in you!” Amethyst’s eyes shone with unshed tears at her perceived betrayal. “When you showed up here, I trusted you. Even when the others were worried, I backed you up!” She snarled, using her strength to hurl Twoie through the front door. “I won’t let you hurt him again!”

“Twoie!” Steven wriggled out of Pearl’s hold and ran out to the porch, peering over the guard rail. “Why did you do that, Amethyst?” Twoie groaned in pain as he slowly sat up in a crater of sand. Steven yelped when Amethyst’s whip wrapped around his waist.

The purple gem tied the other end of her whip to the porch rail. “It’s for your own good, Steven. We can’t have you running in front of him again.”

Steven struggled to get the whip off as the gems exchanged a look of determination. “No, wait! Don’t do this!” His plea was ignored. The gems jumped from the porch, landing next to the crater with their weapons pointed at Twoie.

The young man stared at the past versions of his family. He felt his heart shatter at the anger in their gazes. “Garnet… Pearl… Amethyst… Please…” He searched them for any trace of doubt or uncertainty. Anything that showed they had an ounce of trust in him. There was only anger.

“I don’t care who you are.” Garnet’s face was twisted with rage. Twoie barely managed to raise a bubbe in time to block Garnet’s rocket arms. It popped under the force, making him take a step back. “You do _not_ hurt, Steven!” The young man cried out as Garnet punched him in the stomach. Pain shot through him, and Twoie gasped as he felt something crack. He doubled over, leaving him open for an attack. Pearl launched herself forward, sweeping her spear under his legs. As Twoie fell backward, Amethyst wrapped him in her whip again and spun, releasing him after she’d built enough momentum to fling him against the cliff. He slammed into the cliffside, landing heavily on his knees. A loud thud reverberated through the beach; cracks inched through the cliff where a small crater marred the rocks. Twoie held one hand over his gem, curling in on himself. Pain radiated from his gem and his whole body ached from his injuries.

The gems paid his distress no mind as they cornered him. “Where is the geo-weapon?” Garnet demanded as she stalked forward.

She grabbed Twoie by the collar of his jacket and held him against the cliff. Another spike of pain flashed through him at the motion, and he gasped. He couldn’t think of anything that ever came close to this kind of pain. “I-it’s in the earth’s core, several thousand feet under the barn. You can’t reach it without Peridot’s help!”

Pearl snarled and pointed her spear at him. “I knew there was something off about you! If you were really Steven, you would’ve informed us of this weapon. We’ve finally got you, spy!” The usually graceful gem’s features were marred with hatred.

Twoie flinched at the venom in her voice. Why was he the bad guy?! He couldn’t fathom how things had become so wrong. Overcome with anger at his situation, Twoie stared her down, cheeks glowing pink. “I’m not a spy! Every time we had a stupid meeting, I told you that I would tell you when the time was right. Every single time you were mad at me and pressured me to tell you anyway!” His body became encased in a pink glow. “I’m trying to make things better, but you keep fighting me because you’re _too concerned_ with yourselves to LISTEN TO ME!” A shockwave resounded with his scream. Cracks traveled along the sandy beach and up the cliffside. The rumble knocked the gems back, tripping over their feet and tumbling to the sand.

Twoie covered his mouth in horror. He hadn’t meant to do that. He didn’t know he could do that right now. Twoie’s eyes were wide in panic as the other stared at him in shock. “I-I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to lose control.” He stumbled back against the cliff in an attempt to put as much distance between them as possible. “I’m so sorry.” The Crystal Gems got back on their feet.

“Twoie…” Whatever Garnet was about to say was interrupted by Steven landing in-between them.

The kid had managed to free himself when Twoie shook the beach. He looked furious. “What is wrong with you, guys?! We’ve both been trying to tell you the truth this whole time, but none of you are willing to listen!” Amethyst looked uncertainly at Garnet, then let her whip fade away. She trusted Steven. Even though Twoie hurt Steven, it was beginning to look like a big misunderstanding.

Pearl, however, glared at Steven for trying to defend him. “We gave her many chances to talk to us, Steven. And look at what happened? You got kidnapped, and she hurt you! She’s most likely some kind of gem spy working with Homeworld, and we don’t have Rose to help us if we get into another war!”

Steven matched her icy look. “You’re still not listening! I’m not a dumb kid who doesn’t understand what’s going on, Pearl. I know you’re scared of a war starting again, but I don’t need you to remind me that mom is gone!” He gestured to himself. “I’m here now, so stop wishing for her to be here instead!” Pearl was stunned. She lowered her spear in shock as he continued. “He’s not working with Homeworld. And he’s not some kind of gem spy! Where did you even come up with that? He’s trying to be careful because messing with the future is dangerous! You showed me that Garnet!”

Garnet had the decency to look ashamed. Steven clenched his fists in anger. He needed them to understand why they were in the wrong. “Twoie was upset that you guys didn’t trust him. Yeah, he hurt me accidentally, but it was my fault too. He was in Mom’s room since he knew he was upset, and I walked-in without getting his attention. He didn’t know I was in the room with him! For once in my life, will you guys just listen to me?!”

The silence was palpable. Garnet looked from Steven, still in his protective stance, to Twoie. Now that she was really looking at him, the young man looked pained and was leaning heavily against the cliff. His skin was pale, and she could see the dark bags starting to form under his eyes. Blood trickled from his many cuts. That threw Garnet for a loop. Gems didn’t bleed, and her theory of him being a spy crumbled around her. “Okay, Steven. Let’s take this to the couch, and we’ll listen. We won’t interrupt; we won’t judge. We’ll let him explain.”

Steven sighed in relief. It was a start. He turned to his older brother with a soft smile. “Twoie, did you hear that? It’s okay now. They’re gonna let you explain.” Twoie collapsed in a sitting position. Exhaustion was prominent in the way he was slumped against the cliffside. Two outbursts and an emotionally charged fight with his past family would do that to anyone. Steven pulled him into a hug. “Come on.” He whispered. “Everything will be fine. I promise.”

Twoie nodded his head. He was tired of fighting everyone, and having to fight his family hurt him more than he could describe. It didn’t matter that he wasn’t ready to face the gems; he wouldn’t let Steven deal with this by himself. Just as he was about to stand, a rumble shook the beach. He looked up to see a large edge of the cliff break off above them. Time passed in slow motion. Steven hadn’t seen the danger, and the gems wouldn’t be able to save him in time. Twoie also knew that he was the only one who was aware of his cracked gem. That outburst somehow activated, but there was no way he’d be able to use his powers again. There was no way Twoie would be able to save them both. He knew what he had to do. Steven’s safety was his priority. It didn’t matter what happened to himself, as long as Steven was okay. Twoie grabbed Steven and threw him at Garnet. “Garnet, catch!”

He didn’t bother checking to see if she caught him. There was one last thing he needed to do. As the rocks fell from above, Twoie lifted his shirt and gripped the edge of his gem. He couldn’t let his gem half die with him. Ignoring the crack in the diamond’s facet and the fear in his heart, he pulled his gem out and shielded it with his body. As the rocks made impact, one last thought flashed in his mind. ‘I wish I could’ve said goodbye.’


	2. Never The Same Again

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In his final moments, Twoie rescued one last family member. While the gems learn the truth about Rose Quartz, Pink Twoie deals with the loss of his human half.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm posting this second chapter because it was part of the one-shot from Office Hours. After this chapter, I won't be updating for a while. I'll be going back to writing for Office Hours before I write the third chapter. As I've said before, this story will be updating on a slower time frame, about monthly. I'm glad to see so many of you enjoyed the first chapter! I hope you enjoy this one as well!
> 
> TW: Blood and major character death

Steven coughed, as a cloud of sand obscured the beach. “Two- _cough, hack!_ Twoie! Answer me!” He strained against the arms holding him. This was all his fault. Steven felt tears well up in the corners of his eyes. He should’ve been paying more attention. It was his fault that he hadn’t noticed the cliff breaking apart. And Twoie had paid for it.

The second the dust settled, Steven’s gaze scoured the rocks for any sign of Twoie’s powers. Any pink light reflecting off a shield or bubble would show that Twoie was okay, but he saw nothing. Garnet’s hold slackened in shock, and Steven took the opportunity to wriggle out of her grasp. Ignoring the others calling his name, Steven darted across the sand to the rock pile. “Twoie, please!” He analyzed the pile and picked up a boulder that wouldn’t cause it to shift. The kid tossed it aside. Then, he picked up another rock, only to throw it with a squeak of fear a second later.

“Steven?!” Pearl snapped out of her shock at Steven’s exclamation and darted over. She gasped at the sight of blood on Steven’s hand. “What-?” Steven shakily pointed at the rock he’d thrown. His eyes were wide, and he was shaking. Pearl didn’t blame him. She felt cold terror grip her gem. The rock he’d thrown had a splash of wet blood staining it. “No… Stars, no!” Garnet and Amethyst rushed over to help as Pearl frantically threw rocks to the side. “Twoie!”

With all four of them removing rocks, Twoie was uncovered in seconds. Stars, it was horrible. Amethyst immediately covered Steven’s eyes, but it was too late. The young kid had already seen the bloodied and battered body of his older brother. “Twoie, no!” Steven pulled Amethyst’s hand off his face. He spat on his bloody hand and slapped his brother. Nothing happened. “Twoie!” Steven sobbed as he licked his other hand and slapped him again. There was no sparkle or anything that showed his healing powers had worked. “Wake up!” He repeated the action over and over. Did his healing stop working? “Wake up!” But he needed to heal him! This was his brother! “Wake up!” He needed his powers to work now!

Pearl felt like her gem was cracking at the sight of Steven. There was nothing he could do for Twoie now. She gently grabbed his hand and pulled him into a hug. There was nothing anyone could do for him. Steven continued to shake with sobs as Garnet gently lifted Twoie away from the rocks. When she laid the young man on his back on the sand, she noticed he was holding something. Garnet gasped as she uncurled Twoie’s fingers and revealed a pink gemstone. A pink diamond. “What?” Pearl gasped at the sight, collapsing to her knees and taking Steven with her. Steven and Amethyst were dumbfounded at the sight of the diamond. Not only was it not a Rose Quartz, but there was also a crack going through the diamond’s face. “He really was Steven…” Pearl cried softly at the realization of who they’d just killed. Before anyone else could reply, the gem glowed brightly and floated over to Twoie’s body.

Garnet flinched at the glow. “Get back! Now!” She jumped in front of Pearl, Steven, and Amethyst, determined to protect them from Pink Diamond’s wrath. If Pink proved to be too strong, she could at least buy time for the others to escape. The gem flashed with a blinding burst of light. Although she couldn’t see, Garnet manifested her gauntlets and shifted into a fighting stance. The light condensed into a smaller form than the permafusion was expecting. In fact, it looked like… Twoie? The light faded away into a glitchy pink version of Twoie. What was going on?

Pink Twoie looked around stoically. If he was in pain from the crack in his facet, he didn’t show it. He continued his slow appraisal of the beach, but when his gaze alighted on Twoie’s body, he dropped to his knees. Garnet tensed as Pink Twoie gently took Twoie’s hand in his own. “He’s gone…” Steven flinched at the icy echo of pain in his voice. He couldn’t look away, though. The kid was curious about this new gem that Twoie somehow released. Steven watched as Pink Twoie turned to face him. The gem’s had an expressionless look on his face. Steven started to feel uncomfortable at the intensity of his gaze. The kid was so focused on the gem that he didn’t notice the aggressive stance that Garnet had taken. But Pink Twoie did. His eyes flickered to their leader before flicking back to Steven. In a split second, the gem’s other hand raised into the air, and a glitching pink fractal had separated Steven from the Crystal Gems. “Steven!” Amethyst cried out in surprise as she tried reaching out to him.

Before the gems could respond further, a glitching pink fractal dome formed around them. Steven gasped and turned to Pink Twoie. The gem’s eyes were burning with hatred. “HE’S GONE!” With a quick clench of his fists, the barrier began shrinking around the gems. Garnet immediately began punching the wall, hoping to break them out, but her fists went through the glitches in the fractals. Amethyst tried to shapeshift to go through the walls, but the openings from the glitches closed every time she tried to get through. Pearl didn’t even try to escape. She just kept staring at Pink Twoie.

Steven didn’t know what to do. The gem was clearly grieving for Twoie, but it was wrong of him to take it out on the gems. Panicked, Steven took a deep breath and did the only thing he could think of. He ran forward and hugged Pink Twoie. “Stop, please! I know you’re upset, but this isn’t the way! You can’t take your sadness out on others!” Steven gasped when Pink Twoie clenched his fist and the barrier shrunk even faster. What else could he do? The kid flinched when Amethyst cried out in pain. He turned to see Garnet and Pearl were squished against her as the barrier continued shrinking. Steven turned back to Twoie, frantically trying to think of a way to calm him when his eyes alighted on the cracked gem. He didn’t know if it would work, but it was his last chance. Steven licked his clean hand and pressed it to the cracked gem. Hopefully, Pink Twoie would listen to him if Steven healed him. The kid sighed in relief when he saw Pink Twoie freeze when the healing spit repaired the crack in his gem. Steven took advantage of the moment to try calming him again. “You need to stop! Twoie wouldn’t have wanted you to hurt them.” The barrier stopped shrinking.

Pink Twoie looked down at Steven, eyes glittering with anger and sorrow. “They killed him. They took him away. My human half.” Steven’s eyes widened in realization. It was hard, but Steven forced himself to walk over to Twoie and lift the black shirt. There was no gemstone in his belly. Steven never realized their gem could be removed. The new gem’s grief and anger made sense now.

“He saved you…” Steven quickly stepped away from his brother’s body and walked back over to Pink Twoie. “He knew with his gem cracked that he wouldn’t be able to protect himself, so he pulled it out to save you.”

Pink Twoie gripped Twoie’s hand even tighter. His gaze shifted from the trapped gems to the little human. “I don’t know what to do without him.” Steven narrowed his brows in determination. He grabbed both of Pink Twoie’s hands, making the gem look at him in surprise.

“You can stay with me. Since you are the gem half of my older brother, that means you’re also my older brother.” Pink Twoie’s eyes widened in surprise. “Twoie wouldn’t want you to hurt the gems. Release them from the barrier, and then we can go stay with my dad.” Pink Twoie held his gaze for a moment, then nodded, expanding the barrier.

The second Garnet was able to stand, she angrily banged her fists against the barrier. “Why are you here, Pink Diamond! Why do you look like Twoie? What did you do?”

The pain from almost being crushed had finally snapped Pearl out of her reverie. She had always thought about pulling Steven’s gem out. Thought that maybe Rose would return to them. But it was evident that she was just dreaming. Rose was gone. The prim gem quietly stood and placed her hand on Garnet’s shoulder. Rose was gone. She’d been gone for years. Pearl needed to focus on the now. “I couldn’t tell you before, but Rose Quartz was Pink Diamond. I was under a Diamond command to never tell anyone the truth.” Garnet finally stopped punching the barrier. The permafusion was staring at her friend in shock. Pearl ignored her, though, slowly shifting in place till her eyes rested on Pink Twoie. “That’s why I know now that Twoie was Steven because only Steven could have Pink Diamond’s gemstone.”

Amethyst was still sitting on her knees from when the barrier forced them all to the ground. Her mind was racing after Pearl’s reveal. Twoie was Steven? Twoie was really Steven? Amethyst couldn’t hear Garnet’s angry remark to Pearl over the ringing in her ears. “Guys… we killed Twoie. We killed Steven.” Pearl and Garnet flinched and turned back to Steven and Twoie. The weight of their actions hit them suddenly, and Pearl collapsed into a sobbing mess. Garnet dissipated her glasses as she dropped to her knees. Twoie was dead. And he died because of them.

Pink Twoie grabbed Steven’s hand and led him to the house. As they climbed the stairs, Steven looked back at the gems, then back to Pink Twoie. “What about the gems?”

His older brother shook his head. “I’ll release the barrier when we’re done packing. I don’t trust them.” The kid nodded in understanding. He didn’t trust them either. They entered the house, and Steven quickly packed his most treasured possessions in his cheeseburger backpack, including some pictures of him and Twoie. Then Steven packed his hot dog duffle with his clothes and a couple of plushies.

As he watched Steven pack, Pink Twoie reflected on his shared memories of the beach house. Twoie loved his home. There were a couple of things that he cherished here. After a moment of hesitation, the gem packed up Twoie’s briefcase with some things he remembered Twoie liked. Once he was done, he met up with Steven in the living room. “I have gathered Twoie’s belongings. Should we release the Peridot now?”

Steven dropped his bag on the floor as he remembered what started the fight in the first place. “Peridot!” He ran over to the temple door, and it opened up.

Peridot perked up when she noticed the door open and stepped out with a relieved sigh. “Finally! I thought you two were going to keep me locked in there.” Peridot paused when she saw Pink Twoie standing in the background. “Uhh, what happened to the Twoie? I didn’t know you could change colors.” That’s right… She didn’t know yet. Steven couldn’t hold back his tears as he threw himself at the technician. She flinched and looked around wildly, trying to figure out what was going on.

“Twoie’s gone! The g-gems attacked him, and he’s-!” Peridot’s eyes widened in horror. Did the gems _shatter_ him for defending her? But then why was he standing behind the Steven?

Peridot felt her anxiety swell, and she grabbed Steven by the shoulders. “That can't be right! There's no way the clods shattered him. Besides, if he’s gone, then who’s that?” Pink Twoie didn’t respond to her when Peridot gestured to him. Instead, he held his hand out to Steven, and the kid took it. The two started walking to the front door, and Steven gestured for her to follow. With a huff, Peridot followed them out of the house, albeit cautiously.

“I’ve been calling him Pink Twoie in my head. He’s Twoie’s gem half.” Steven choked up as he spoke about Twoie. It was still too painful to think about. Peridot sensed his turmoil and decided to stop asking questions for now. She figured she'd resume later when he wasn't as upset. They continued the walk back to the beach in silence.

The gems were still waiting for them in the barrier. They couldn’t do anything except wait and reflect on their actions. How could things have gone so wrong? Pearl sighed quietly. They had only meant to interrogate Twoie, but seeing him release Peridot and the bruise on Steven’s arm… She had let her emotions control her. Pearl had never meant to go that far. Now, Garnet, Amethyst, and Steven were all that she had left. The sound of footsteps made her look up. Pearl’s eyes widened when she saw Steven and Pink Twoie with their bags packed. No! She didn’t think she could handle that! “Steven, wait! Don’t go, please!” Amethyst and Garnet looked at him with panicked expressions.

They all began begging him not to leave, but Steven glared at them. “I can’t stay here! Don’t you guys realize what you did?” They flinched as Steven gestured to Twoie. “My big brother is dead because you guys wouldn’t listen to either of us! They’ll never know why he’s missing! You took him away from his actual family. And you took him away from us!” Steven couldn’t look as Pink Twoie gently covered Twoie’s face with his pink jacket, then picked him up. “I can’t stay here anymore.”

Peridot had gotten a glimpse of Twoie and promptly looked away in horror. It really was true. Twoie had been shattered by the gems because of her. She’d barely known him, but something inside her ached from the knowledge that, now, she never would. Twoie had been kind to her. He would’ve been a valuable ally. When Pink Twoie began walking towards the path that led into town, Peridot had no qualms following him and Steven.

The gems cried out as the trio walked away from the beach house. They kept walking, never looking back, even as the voices of the gems faded into silence. Once Pink Twoie deemed they were far enough, he released the barrier. He doubted they would come after them. And if they did, Pink Twoie would make sure they backed off. Twoie was all he had. There would forever be an empty feeling in his gem—a reminder of what he had lost. But now, walking beside Steven and Peridot towards the car wash, he had gained something too. A small reprieve from the pain. Pink Twoie vowed to protect his new family. Steven and Peridot were all he had left. And though the group continued in silence, they all had the same thought. Things would never be the same again.


	3. A Miracle From Tears

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Greg knew that something felt off. When he sees something going on near the beach house, he regrets not acting on that feeling sooner. Even with the rise in gem incidents around Beach City, Greg had never thought he'd find his son dead.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season! I promised I would update this story once a month, and I am pleased to be updating Greg's reaction to the incident. I hope you guys enjoy it!

There was something off about today. Greg wasn’t sure what it was, though. He’d gone through his morning routine of waking up, texting ‘good morning’ to his sons, and opening up the car wash. The mayor had come by with the Dewey Mobile, and Jenny had dropped off her family’s delivery car for a wash as well. Neither had informed him of anything odd in town when they chatted, so Greg just shrugged the feeling off as unprompted paranoia. Lately, Beach City had been dealing with a lot more gem incidents than usual, so the older man attributed his unease to that. Greg regretted his inaction when the earth rumbled and shook. He quickly ducked under his desk inside the car wash and waited for the rumbling to stop. “Since when does Beach City get earthquakes?” The vibrations faded as rapidly as they started.

Greg rushed out of the building, staring in horror at the cloud of sand rising from behind the lighthouse. “Oh, no…” He quickly pulled his phone out and dialed Steven’s number. His fear skyrocketed when the father reached Steven’s voicemail. He tried to stay calm as he redialed the number, only to reach the voicemail message again. Greg dialed Twoie’s and Pearl’s numbers as well, but every call went unanswered. “Please be okay.” Even though Greg had a strict stance on gem stuff, he knew he needed to go to the beach house. He had to see if his sons were alright. Greg quickly stuffed his phone into his pocket and started up his van.

It didn’t matter that he was only human. He was going to be there for his sons if they were in trouble. The worried father didn’t even close up the wash as he drove onto the road. His only concern was reaching the beach house. As he headed towards the boardwalk, he could see other residents walking out of their houses, curious about the earthquake as well. His eyes scanned the people he drove past, but he didn’t see either of his sons among the growing crowd. Greg’s heart hammered in his chest. He recalled Steven talking to him about the incident with the green handship. Thoughts of his sons being kidnapped again or killed or injured by the gems involved plagued his mind. He was so consumed in his thoughts that he almost drove past the small entourage walking towards the boardwalk. Greg slammed his foot on the brakes as he saw Steven with a pink version of Twoie, a green gem, and an unconscious Twoie in the pink one’s arms. “Steven! Twoie!” The older man put his van in park and rushed out to his sons. Immediately, he noted red eyes and tear tracks on Steven’s face. Something horrible must’ve happened.

Greg wished he had acted on his bad feeling as his hands hovered over his eldest son. Stars, Twoie’s clothes were torn and covered in dried blood. Greg lightly touched his son’s face as he tried to rouse the unconscious teen. “Twoie!” His skin was so cold. Twoie looked so pale and lifeless. “Twoie, please!” Greg’s shaky fingers pressed against Twoie’s neck, straining to find a pulse. The father sobbed as he tried Twoie’s wrist, then pressed his ear to his son’s chest. Nothing. No pulse, no breath, nothing.

Greg collapsed onto the sand. His son was dead. Twoie was dead. The little baby that he held in his arms… The baby that took his breath away when he first held him. That filled his heart with more love than he ever felt in his life. He did everything for Steven. He loved his son with every fiber of his being. Taught him music. Took him to festivals at the beach. Watched him laugh, and cry, and smile. Watched him grow into a kid… And then met who he would be. The young man who saved the universe. Who became an older brother to Steven and a vital part of their family. The young man that Greg was so proud of. Someone placed his eldest son’s body in his arms, and Greg clutched him close. He never thought he’d hold his son like this. Why did this happen? Why did his son have to die? Greg wanted to keep his son close and never let him go. But he couldn’t. Twoie was gone, and he had more than one son. Greg couldn’t afford to lose himself to his grief. Steven still needed him. He glanced up and saw Steven crying anew. Greg shifted Twoie in his arm, then held his free hand out to his youngest.

Steven stumbled forward, collapsing onto his father’s chest. “I’m so sorry, Dad!” The kid tucked his head under his father’s chin as he cried. “I tried to stop them, but I couldn’t!”

Greg tightly hugged his youngest son. His heart agonized over Twoie, but he needed to focus on Steven. “What happened, Steven? Who did this?” He looked up in surprise when the green gem and the pink version of Twoie walked forward.

The green gem stood in front of him, rubbing her hands nervously. “Hello, the Dad. My name is Peridot.” Peridot took a deep breath. “I am requesting shelter on behalf of my comrades. The ones who did this to the Twoie were the Crystal Gems.” Greg’s eyes widened in disbelief. There was no way that was true. That couldn’t be true. “Twoie was trying to defend me, and the gems took it as a betrayal. They fought the Twoie, and…” Peridot looked away sadly. “We’ve got nowhere else we can go.”

Greg felt sick. He thought he could trust the gems. He left his son with them so they could give him a better life. So they could protect him and raise him to use his powers safely. Never had he ever thought the gems would be responsible for the _death of his son._ “They killed him!” Steven wailed as he pulled away from his dad. Peridot flinched at the anger in the kid’s voice. “I was trying to tell the gems to stop, and they wouldn’t listen to me! They just k-kept hurting him!” Greg was taken aback by the anger and sadness in his son’s gaze. “And during the fight, the cliffside got damaged, and the rocks fell on top of Twoie. He would’ve survived if the others hadn’t _cracked his gem!_ ” Greg flinched in horror. He knew Steven and Twoie had their mother’s gem, but he had never really thought of the stone cracking. The older man didn’t know how that had affected Twoie. Greg bitterly wondered if he knew anything at this point. Steven looked at his brother, heartbroken, as he recalled what had happened. “He’s gone, Dad.”

“Oh, Schtu-ball…” Greg pulled his son close and brushed a hand through his kid’s hair.

Steven couldn’t fight back the new wave of tears. He was so tired. He wanted his brother. Twoie always knew how to cheer him up. But Twoie wasn’t here anymore. Twoie was dead. Steven’s mind reeled. Twoie was really gone. No more late-night talks about Crying Breakfast Friends. No more stories before bed. No more school. No more cooking together or hanging out on the boardwalk or playing games together or sparring together or trips to the museum or- or… “H-he’s gone!” Steven bawled over his brother’s body. “I-I want my brother b-back!” Tears dripped down his cheeks and splashed onto his brother’s clothes. “I want Twoie back!” And as Steven sobbed in his father’s arms, a couple of tears landed on Twoie’s hand. The tears sparkled before disappearing. And then, as though answering Steven’s plea, Twoie’s body began to glow. The light shined brightly, catching everyone’s attention. Steven stared in awe as the glow spread, until every inch of Twoie was glowing pink. As suddenly as it had started, the glow faded, leaving behind pink skin and light pink hair.

Twoie’s hand twitched. Peridot gasped in amazement as Twoie’s face scrunched, and he groaned in pain. No one could look away. The young man opened his eyes as he slowly sat up. “Steven?” His eyes widened as he took in his brother’s state. Steven was crying silently, staring at him with his eyes wide in shock. Twoie worriedly grabbed his younger brother’s hands. “Are you okay? What happened?”

“TWOIE!” Greg and Steven cried out as they tightly hugged the revived teen. Twoie looked around in surprise. Peridot stared at him in awe, and he briefly wondered when she had shown up. Then, Twoie’s eyes alighted on Pink Twoie. Memories flooded his mind. He remembered hiding Peridot, being yelled at by the gems, being cracked, and then-! The teen quickly raised one of his hands up. Pink. His hand was pink. Twoie closed his eyes and took a deep breath. The gems had killed him. Twoie had died, and if it weren’t for Steven, he would’ve stayed dead.

The revived teen was roused from his thoughts when Pink Twoie walked up to them and knelt beside his other half. “I protected them. I knew that was what you would have wanted.”

Twoie grabbed Pink Twoie’s hand, flashing him a wobbly smile as tears welled in his eyes. “Thank you. I didn’t expect to come back after what happened. Thank you for watching over Steven and Peridot for me.” Pink Twoie silently accepted the gratitude.

Greg tearfully looked up at the newcomer. He was curious about this pink version of his eldest son. “Anyone willing to protect my sons is a friend in my book. I’m sorry I didn’t introduce myself. I’m Greg, Twoie’s, and Steven’s father.” Pink Twoie stared at him, though he did nod back.

Twoie brushed a hand through Steven’s hair as he turned to their dad. “Oh, he’s actually my gem half. He’s aware of who you are since we share my memories.”

Greg blinked in surprise before smiling softly at the gem. “I guess that means I have three sons now. What should I call you, then?”

Steven sniffled as he pulled back from hugging his brother. “Yeah, Pink Twoie! You should pick out a name!”

Pink Twoie stared at his human half. He would always be a part of Twoie, even in this new form. If his other half was giving him a choice… “Ven.” Ven liked how it sounded. He felt uncomfortable going by something unfamiliar to him. No matter what, he would always be a part of Steven Universe.

Greg helped Steven and Twoie stand, then he walked forward and pulled Ven into a hug. “It’s nice to meet you, Ven.” His newest son hesitantly hugged Greg back before breaking off the hug. Greg figured Ven wasn’t comfortable and took no offense. Everything was changing so quickly. Greg wanted to know more about Twoie’s new state but decided it’d be better if they didn’t talk about it while being this close to the beach house. Greg honestly wanted to be as far from the house as possible, though he knew that wasn’t realistic. He turned to face the green gem. "I think Steven and Twoie told me about you. Peridot, right?"

Peridot crossed her arms and stood proudly, though it was obvious she was still shaken by everything. "Y-yes! Verifiable genius, astounding technician, and certified Kindergartener." She looked behind herself nervously before turning back to Greg. "Have you accepted our request?"

The older man nodded. “It's not very big, but I own a car wash in town. We can stay there for now until I figure out somewhere better.” Greg figured it would do for a couple of days, but he knew it wasn't a long-term solution. Maybe they could brainstorm together? The older man ushered everyone into the van and headed back to the car wash. As he drove, Greg came to an epiphany. For years, he had tried to remain uninvolved in anything gem-related. His stance was the reason he wasn’t around for so many situations that had affected Steven and Twoie. Maybe he would’ve been able to stop the gems if he had been around more often. Maybe he would’ve seen the signs that they were going to hurt his sons. Greg knew what he needed to do. He needed to be more involved in all aspects of his sons’ lives.


	4. Barn Sweet Barn

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Twoie already knows where the group can stay. The barn is uninhabited, and they need to stay there anyway, to deal with the Cluster. Of course, that discussion opens another can of worms, leading to the revelation of Twoie's time-traveling. Peridot makes her own revelation, having friends is really nice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! I hope you all are doing well! This chapter took me a while to write. Kept finding moments that needed to be revised because the dialogue felt funny, or the transitions were odd. I hope I caught them all, but let me know if anything sounds funny. We have a little more perspective with Ven, Twoie, and Peridot. Not to mention, the plot is finally taking off. 
> 
> I hope you guys enjoy the chapter!

Twoie felt numb. That was probably the only reason he was so calm right now. It wouldn’t be the first time Twoie faked being okay, so he could be strong for his family. The young man looked around the car wash, silently checking on everyone. He was confident the only reason Steven wasn’t still crying was that his little brother had run out of tears. He glanced at his dad. The older man was sitting at the car wash’s control center. He was barely keeping it together as Twoie quietly explained the event that led to his death. The memory of his father’s reaction when Twoie had been kidnapped by Jasper flashed through his mind. He hated seeing his father like this. Twoie looked away.

Peridot was curled up on a fold-up chair, eyes wide with horror as he finished describing the fight. Twoie wasn’t sure what to make of her. He didn’t expect her to trust them this quickly, and it threw him off to see her genuine concern towards him. Granted, she knew that he died defending her and had seen the aftermath. Honestly, he was so thankful she was there. Peridot had been one of his best friends in his time, and he hoped her curiosity for earth tech would cheer everyone up. That probably wasn’t going to happen right away, though.

Everyone sat quietly, letting the full weight of the situation sink in. Which brought him to their newest addition. The young man looked over at the pink gem. Ven… Twoie was surprised to find that he knew what Ven was feeling. It didn’t matter that they weren’t fused or that Ven was listening with a blank expression. Twoie could sense the anger rolling off of his gem half. He wanted to be angry too, but Twoie knew that it wouldn’t help right now. Yes, the gems had… Twoie shuddered and quickly pushed the thought from his mind. There were more important things to address than the gems. “We should go to the barn.”

Greg looked up at Twoie in surprise. “The barn?” Realization dawned on his eyes, and he nervously rubbed the back of his neck. “I don’t know. The location is great, but there’s no electricity, and it’s filled with a lot of junk.”

“Twoie, Peridot, and I will be able to set up electricity in the barn.” Greg, Peridot, and Steven looked at Ven in surprise while Twoie nodded in agreement with his gem half. The gem continued, “Most of the junk inside the barn will be used when we build the drill. There is no downside to using the barn as our new home.”

“Drill? What drill?” Greg stared at Ven in confusion.

Twoie sighed. He was hoping to bring that up after they had gotten situated, but it wasn’t like they had a lot of time. Without the gems, the drill was going to take longer to build. “There is another reason why the barn is a good place for us to stay. There is a geo weapon underneath the earth that will become active soon.” His dad made a pained noise, and Twoie winced. “Don’t worry! We stopped it in my time, but that was also with the others. It will take us longer to build it without them, so it’s best if we head over now and get to work.”

Peridot raised her hand, waving it wildly in the air. “What do you mean by ‘my time’?”

Twoie started formulating a response in his head but was interrupted by Ven speaking first. “We’re from the future.” The young man smacked himself on the face. He knew Peridot would freak out and wanted to ease her into the truth. Twoie looked up. Yep.

Peridot’s eyes were wide, and she was frozen in shock. “Y-you. What? Future?” Ven looked between Twoie and Peridot several times. The young man could could sense his gem half’s confusion over Peridot’s reaction. “FUTURE? WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU’RE FROM THE FUTURE?”

Steven quietly giggled, which morphed into laughter when Twoie shot him an exasperated smile. “Ha-ha! Yeah! Twoie is from the future. He came here by accident, and he’s been helping us ever since.”

Peridot looked between Steven and Twoie with an expression of betrayal. “So, you helped me because you already knew about the Cluster?”

Twoie vehemently shook his head before walking over to Peridot. “I helped you because you are one of my best friends in my time. I really missed you, and I’m sorry that you had to deal with all this.” Peridot relaxed in relief, and Twoie used the opportunity to hug her.

The technician stiffened at the hug. “I-I mean, what else would I be? Of course, we are best friends.” She looked over at Steven as she tried to figure out what was going on. “What’s a best friend, and what are you doing?”

Steven smiled at her. “Best friends are people that you really care about.”

Twoie laughed as he felt Peridot relax. “And this is called a hug. It’s a way to show affection.”

Peridot hesitantly wrapped her arms around Twoie’s back. “Like this?”

Steven nodded. “Yeah! Like that!”

“Oh… It’s… really nice.” Peridot liked this action of ‘hugging.’ It made her feel warm.

Twoie gently pulled back from the hug with a smile. He was sure she’d ask him more questions about his time-traveling later, but for now, he needed to steer the conversation back to the barn. “It’s gonna be a lot of work, but the barn is the best place for us to stay in right now. Are you okay with that, Dad?”

Greg nodded as he grabbed his phone and started writing things down in his notes. “That’s fine with me! Might as well do something useful with it, and it’s definitely big enough for you all to stay in. If you guys are gonna be living in the barn now, then I need to go shopping.” The older man focused on Twoie and Ven. “How long do you boys think it will take to set up the electricity?”

Twoie hummed in thought. “I’ll have to see what we need, but I’d say we could get it done by tomorrow morning.” He pulled his wallet out and counted the money inside. Thank stars, his dad always made sure he had a wad of cash on him. Twoie noted he had several hundred dollar bills, easily enough money to cover all expenses for furnishing the barn. “Dad, let’s drop the other’s off at the barn, and then we can head to the store while Peridot and Ven get to work.” His dad shakily smiled before heading over to the car. Steven grabbed Peridot by the hand and led her over to the van, quietly explaining what a car was and how it worked. Twoie started to walk towards the van when he felt someone grab his wrist. He looked back in surprise to see Ven looking at him with an air of concern.

Ven tightened his grip on Twoie’s wrist. “Do you feel sick? Do you need to refuse?”

Twoie still felt a little numb, but he pushed the feeling away. That wasn’t what Ven meant. “When we were… separated back with…” Memories of white, piercing nails invaded his vision, and he shook his head. “I was dying. My human half needed to be fused with you to survive.” And that was going to take some getting used to. He wasn’t really… human now, was he? Then again, it wasn’t like he was fully human, to begin with. “Things are different now.”

Ven frowned, then looked away. “What should… I do then?”

What? Twoie’s eyes widened in surprise. “What do you mean?”

“What do I do if I’m not fused with you?” Ven’s eyes became shadowed as he looked down. A hand grasped at his other arm, a clear sign of discomfort.

Twoie had never seen his gem half this expressive before, and it hurt to see him so sad. “You live as Ven.” Ven whipped his head up in shock. “Before, I couldn’t survive without being fused to you. I always felt a little guilty about it, but I know you wouldn’t have wanted to see me sick like that again anyway.” Twoie smiled sadly at Ven as he stepped forward. “I didn’t want to die. We’re lucky that Steven was able to bring me back.” The gem blinked in surprise as his human half grabbed his hands. “What happened was awful, but there’s one good thing that came out of this. We don’t have to be fused all of the time now. If you want to explore or be your own gem, you can. And if you want to fuse, we can.” Twoie’s smile became more genuine. “I want you to explore who you are first, though. I know who Steven Universe is. I know who Twoie Universe is. I want to get to know Ven Universe.”

Ven wasn’t sure what to think. He wasn’t used to being unfused; it left an empty feeling in his gem. But… He looked down at their intertwined hands. He knew that Garnet liked to unfuse from time to time. That Sapphire and Ruby still did their own things. Maybe he should explore this a little? His human half wanted him to, and Ven liked making his human half happy. “Okay. I will be Ven for now.” Warmth filled his gem at the bright smile on Twoie’s face. Ven had never had anyone but Twoie. And Twoie would always be first on his list of people he cared for, but maybe Ven can have more than just Twoie on it. He looked over to the van. The engine was already running, and it was obvious that the others were waiting for them. “We should go now. Steven will not be able to deal with Peridot’s barrage of questions for much longer.” Twoie snorted as he led the way to the car, not letting go of his hand until they were climbing inside. Ven watched as Steven looked at them in relief. Peridot didn’t hesitate to shift her attention to Twoie and began asking for clarification on Steven’s answers. Ven smiled, already mentally adding names to his list.

* * *

The trip to the barn was filled with chatter. Peridot wanted to know everything there was about the earth. This was her new home, after all. The thought no longer held any bitterness. The technician grinned as she ran about the barn, pulling out item after item and asking her new human friends about them. For a primitive species, they were pretty smart. Peridot pulled out a green board on wheels. “What’s this, Steven?”

Steven ran over in excitement. “You found a chalkboard! Is there any chalk around? You can write on it with chalk,”

Peridot held out a small box. There were little white sticks inside. “This says chalk. So, I can use these chalk sticks to write on the board?” At Steven’s nod, she quickly pulled the chalk out and drew a line on the board. “Fascinating! What do you do with the board when it has been filled?”

Steven ran over to where she had pulled the chalkboard from and looked around. Moments later, he returned and held out a black and grey block. “This is called a chalkboard eraser. You can use this to wipe the chalk off and write new things down.”

Peridot took it from him and erased the line. She contemplated the board for another moment before her eyes went starry as she dashed off to the front of the barn. Steven watched as she dragged a small box over to the board. “This is perfect for planning things out!” She began drawing out the barn’s layout and how she would set up the electricity. “There are some appliances here that could be recycled, but most of this stuff will only suffice as scrap materials.” She turned to face Twoie and Greg. “I trust you two to figure out what we will need. Ven, Steven, and I can get started here.” Peridot didn’t want to waste any time. The barn was going to be their new base of operations. It needed to be in tip-top shape before they could start work on the drill.

She barely noted Steven mention something about texting his brother what they already had. If she directed the wires this way… then she could put lights throughout the top and bottom sectors of the barn. And if they cleared this space here… Peridot stepped back to look at her blueprints. She’d be able to supply lights to the barn, create a small kitchen space, and turn the area under the loft into a living room. The green gem turned so she could see where her designs would go and came face-to-face with Ven. “Gyahh!” She jumped in surprise, falling off the box. Peridot blinked up at the pink figure that loomed over herm hand extended to help her up. “Sorry, Ven. I wasn’t expecting to see you there.”

Ven shrugged as he pulled her back to her feet. Peridot noted that the van was gone. “Would you like me to pull out the heavier items while Steven explains what they are?”

The gem was still a little too deadpan for her, but Peridot was beginning to get used to it. “That would be great. I need to salvage what I can from these materials. I’m hoping that we will be able to get started once Twoie comes back.”

Ven nodded and walked over to the junk pile. “Are you ready, Steven?” Steven smiled and replied happily. Peridot hummed in suspicion as Ven floated to the top of the pile and started bringing things down. She was glad to see Steven was feeling better, but something about it bothered her. Maybe it was the technician in her, used to finding patterns and analyzing how things work. Sure she didn’t know Steven well, but the kid was a bit of an open book. He was a crier, loved his family, was happy to help, and was one of the kindest beings she’d ever met. Which was why something about his behavior felt wrong. ‘Note to self. Talk to Twoie in private about Steven later.’

“Peridot?” The technician was startled out of her thoughts at the sound of her name. She turned to see Steven looking at her curiously. “You spaced out. Are you okay?”

“I’m fine. Sorry, Steven. I was just thinking of what materials I should be looking for.” Steven brightened up as he gestured to the steadily growing pile of junk from the items Ven was bringing over.

Peridot hummed and picked up a coffee pot. “Do you think this still functions?”

Steven looked it over. “Probably. Twoie is going to want this, so let’s set it aside.” The kid placed the pot out of the way, then pointed at the next item. “This pipe is fine as scrap, and the microwave next to it is broken, so you can use those.” Peridot nodded and pulled the items aside. She grabbed the parts she needed and tossed the rest outside.

The group continued working, even after Twoie and Greg returned from the store. There was enough space cleared out inside for the washer, oven, and fridge, as well as a large box filled with lightbulbs. Twoie carried everything inside without complaint. By nightfall, Peridot was smiling as she directed Twoie and Ven where she wanted them to place the wires and lights. Steven and Greg were already asleep on the couch in the loft, so they decided to set up those lights in the morning. Peridot stepped back into the barn, just finished with the electrical box she had set up outside. Twoie and Ven were working together to build the kitchen, and they were quietly chatting. There was a smile on both of their faces. Peridot couldn’t help smiling as well as she joined them. Things were beginning to look up.


	5. A Sign of Change

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Moving was a sign of change. For Greg, it was a change for the better. He moved out of his parents' home for his freedom. He helped Steven move into the Beach House so he could learn about his gem, and how to control his powers once they manifested. And now, he helped Steven, Ven, Twoie, and Peridot into the barn because they needed a safe place to call home. Moving meant making things better. And Greg would do whatever he could to make things better for his new family.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! I'm so sorry for the late update! This doesn't count for March's update, please expect another update at the end of March. Today's chapter is Greg-centered and gives us a little look into some of the new changes that are going to differentiate this AU from canon. We've seen many already, so I hope you enjoy the twist I threw in at the end!
> 
> Special shout-out to Roxas and Dimonds! Chatting with you guys always gives me so many ideas!

Moving was a sign of change. For Greg, moving was a sign of change for the better. He had moved away from his family the first chance he got. Sure, life was a little harder afterward, but he was _free_. All of Greg’s decisions, all of his choices, were _his to make._ And for a young man whose home was a van, that was enough. Then, Steven had been born. He loved his son dearly. Nothing brought him more joy than seeing Steven laugh at his stories or play with his toy ukulele. Nothing made him happier than seeing his son _live._ Steven had freedom and a family that cared about him. Or, Greg thought they had. That’s why, when the gems approached him with their idea of raising him, he hadn’t objected. Steven was half gem. He would need to learn about his gem and how to control his powers when they manifested. And Greg knew that Steven would be better off in a house, regardless of how much Greg loved having his son with him. He wanted the best for his son. And maybe he had a hard time that first year Steven moved in with the gems, but he did his best not to let his son see how much it hurt. Greg couldn’t count how often he woke up and said good morning, only to realize he lived by himself again. He made up for it by visiting the Beach House whenever he could and assuring Steven that he was welcome to visit the car wash whenever he wanted. Moving meant a change for the better. Greg would do whatever he could to make things better for his new family; that’s why he had no issue helping his sons and Peridot move into the barn.

The older man had fallen asleep on the couch while taking a small break from moving junk out of the barn. When he woke up, he almost didn’t recognize the place. The barn's main floor had been cleared out of all junk, and it looked like a studio apartment. There was a fully equipped kitchen in the back of the barn. The couch he had slept on was pushed against the wall underneath the left loft. Across from him was a tv, and the area underneath the right loft had two bookcases against the wall, with a desk sitting between them. They were filled with books and his sons’ knickknacks from the house. Greg stood up and walked into the middle of the barn. He could see that both lofts had been furnished with two twins beds, one bed each for the current residents. “Wow… I’m amazed they were able to do all this in one night!” Noticing no one else was in the barn, Greg headed outside to look for the others. He was greeted to the sight of his sons gathered around a chalkboard, with Peridot gesturing to it.

“We definitely have enough spare parts to make a drill, but I’m going to need drill heads and a few more tools.” Peridot turned to Twoie with a look of determination on her face. “I know that the barn is above the Cluster, but I would like to go to my base at the Kindergarten and double-check the coordinates. It’ll make directing the drill easier if I have a set location for the navigator.”

Twoie nodded before turning to Ven. “If I remember correctly, there are still gem mutants hanging around the Kindergarten. We should probably accompany Peridot in case they attack her like they did in our time.”

Ven stared at him blankly, then shook his head in disagreement. “I will go with Peridot, but you should stay here.” At Twoie’s look of confusion, Ven summoned a pink prism before making it disappear. “You do not have the same powers in your new state and have no experience in using them. I fear that you will have a hard time preventing yourself from fighting if we are attacked.”

The young man froze. “O-oh… You’re right.” Twoie rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. Greg noted the stutter in his son’s voice. Something was wrong. “Uh, Steven? Could you go with them? Between you and Ven, the gem mutants shouldn’t be a problem.”

“No problem! We’ve got this!” Steven grabbed Peridot and Ven by the hands and dragged them towards the warp pad at the edge of the property. He finally noticed Greg standing outside of the barn door as he was walking away. With a big smile, Steven dashed over and hugged him. “Morning, Dad! What did you think of the barn?”

Greg smiled as he hugged his son back. “It’s amazing! I can’t believe you guys were able to make it look so good!”

Steven grinned with pride. “Right? I was so surprised when I woke up! Ven, Twoie, and Peridot made it really feel like home. I’ll show you around later, okay? We’re going on a mission!”

The older man laughed as Ven waved at him before Steven dragged him and Peridot off again. He turned to see Twoie watching them leave. “Hey, Two-ball. How are you feeling?” Greg could see the hurt in his eldest son’s eyes.

“I forgot that I’m not part gem right now.” Twoie tightly gripped the area above his shirt, wilting from the realization. “What do I do now? I’m just a liability like this, but I don’t want to fuse with Ven either. I’d just be using him, and he deserves the chance to have his own experiences.”

Greg placed a hand on his son’s shoulder. Twoie’s words were scaring him. Why did he think he was a liability? He could still fight, even without his gem powers. Greg knew that Steven often accompanied Connie to her sword-fighting lessons. Even Steven’s and Twoie's stories gave him the idea that Twoie was a competent fighter. “Hey, now. Don’t talk like that. You’re not a liability just because you don’t have gem powers. Look at Connie; she’s not a liability, and she doesn’t have powers.”

Twoie whirled on his father, brushing his hand off his shoulder. “Yeah, but that’s because she’s amazing! Connie is strong and talented. She’s a great fighter with a sword, and she has Lion to help, but me? The only thing I was good at was using my powers.”

“And you’re not amazing?” What had happened to his son? What did the gems do to him to make him believe that his only worth was his powers? If Twoie didn’t see how amazing he was, then Greg would make him see it. “Twoie, you have the biggest heart I’ve ever seen. You are always willing to help anyone in need. You care so much about your family that you _died_ for Steven!” It felt surreal to acknowledge that Twoie had died because he was standing in front of him. But his new pink coloring was enough of a reminder of what he had lost. The father noticed his son flinch as he mentioned his death. Greg knew that Twoie would continue having trouble with the new development, but he would never be alone through it. “And you fought gem after gem to protect the earth. You fought in a war to save the earth from being taken over. You are so amazing.” Greg hugged Twoie close. “You might think you’re nothing special, but you’re wrong. You are one-of-a-kind. Even Steven and Ven are different from you, and you’re all the same person.” He heard his son sniff, and seconds later, Greg could feel his son’s shoulders shaking. Twoie cried softly as he hugged him tightly. “I love you, Twoie. I’m so proud of you and everything you’ve done. Your life has been so hard, so please don’t make it harder by beating yourself up for no reason.”

The two stood there for a moment, taking comfort in each other. One a father who had lost a son and was so thankful to get him back. The other, a son who had sacrificed everything for his loved ones and was finally beginning to heal. Eventually, Twoie and Greg broke their hug. Twoie wiped his face with his hoodie’s sleeve. “Thanks, Dad. You’re the best.”

Greg was just happy to see his son smiling again. A real smile, not the brave face he put on for his family. “I’ll always be here for you. I’ve finally realized that my stance on gem stuff was wrong. Gem stuff will always be a part of you, Steven, and Ven. If I want to be involved in my sons’ lives, then I need to be there for all of it.”

Twoie’s smile became even wider. “Does that mean you’ll still visit often? I know the barn is a lot farther from the car wash than the Beach House was.”

The older man nodded. “It’s not too far a drive. Besides, most people drive to and from work. When I’m done for the day, I’ll drive here to the barn, and then I’ll leave earlier to open the car wash.” Greg rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment. “It just means I can’t sleep in like I used to. No biggie.”

He was surprised when Twoie lunged forward and wrapped him in another hug. “I’m so glad. You don’t know how much I wished we could live together like a real family!”

Greg’s eyes widened in shock, and he pulled back from the hug. “What do you mean by that?”

Twoie winced when he realized what he accidentally blurted out. “I-I didn’t mean to say that.” He held his hands out in apology.

The older man figured that Twoie wasn’t going to elaborate further. “I’m not mad or anything; I’m just surprised. If you wanted to live with me again, I would’ve let you move back into the van with me, or I could’ve made arrangements to stay at the house with you and the gems.” He didn’t notice Twoie’s face scrunch in pain as he continued. “I know they didn’t want me living with you guys because of the temple and all of the gem stuff, but I’m sure we could’ve worked something out.”

“That’s not what I meant.” Greg looked at his son in surprise. Twoie curled in on himself slightly as though he was expecting to get yelled at. “I just… I’ve always wanted to live like a normal family. You know, go to school, live in a house, have family dinners. Living with you, and then later with the- the gems… I never got the stability I wanted. I’ve always felt like an outcast.”

The single father felt tears spring to his eyes. “Oh, Steven.” At the sound of his real name, Twoie looked up. There was so much fear and sadness in his eyes. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.” Greg stepped forward and placed his hands on Twoie’s shoulders. “Growing up with my parents was awful. Everything I ever wanted to do was considered a waste of time. It was like growing up in a prison. My decisions were made for me, and my interests were ignored and replaced with what they wanted me to like. I wanted you to have what I didn’t, freedom.” Greg sniffed and wiped some of the tears from his eyes. “I guess I gave you too much freedom, huh?”

Twoie chuckled. “Yeah. I get it, though. You wanted me to have a better life than you had. I’ve never doubted that you love me, Dad.” He looked at his father with curiosity. “I think that’s the most you’ve ever told me about my grandparents. Do you think you could tell me more about them later?”

Greg smiled. “Of course! I don’t have many happy stories about them, but I don’t mind telling you about them. I could tell you some stories about your Uncle Andy, too! He’s a little better than the rest of the family, though he can be a bit rude sometimes.”

That made Twoie laugh again. “Let’s wait until tonight when Steven and Ven are back. I know they’ll want to hear about them as well. For now, I need your help with something.”

The older man nodded, though he was confused. “Sure. What do you need help with?”

Twoie flashed him a nervous smile. “Making a new friend. Lion!” Greg was even more confused as a floating pink portal appeared out of thin air before a pink lion jumped out of it. What did Lion have to do with whatever thing they were about to do? Lion took one look at Twoie and whimpered sadly. “Hey, buddy. I’m okay, promise.” Twoie chuckled as Lion walked around him, checking to make sure that Twoie was actually okay. “We’re alike now.” Greg never thought a lion could glare, but that was undoubtedly what Lion was doing. “I really am okay. We’re not living at the Beach House anymore, though. We live here now.” Lion looked around, then nodded. He purred as he nuzzled Twoie’s side. “Thanks, Lion.” Twoie brushed his hand through Lion’s mane. Greg saw his son flash him one last look before he took a deep breath. Whatever was about to happen, Greg would be there for his son. “Could you do me a favor? I need to go inside your mane for a moment.”


End file.
